Unemployment Data Series

September 2001

In September, typically, unemployment inches down slightly as schools and
colleges reopen for the fall term. Missouri's seasonally unadjusted employment
rate did decrease in September, but less than would be expected. This accounts
for the increase in the seasonally adjusted rate, which is a better measure of
underlying economic conditions. Overall, Missouri's labor market conditions were
relatively stable in September.

The national unemployment rate increased to 4.9 percent in September. Five of
Missouri's neighboring states had lower unemployment rates during the past
month. These include Nebraska (3.0 percent), Iowa (3.1 percent), Oklahoma (3.3
percent), Kansas (3.8 percent), and Tennessee (4.0 percent).

Unemployment levels are not distributed evenly across Missouri, with pockets
of high unemployment persisting in several areas (county-level rates are not
seasonally adjusted). Counties with the highest unemployment levels are
particularly pervasive in southeast and north central Missouri. Twenty-seven
counties had unemployment rates that were 6.0 percent or higher.

Areas of low unemployment are spread throughout the state with the greatest
concentration of low unemployment in September in northern Missouri counties.
Twenty-five counties had unemployment rates below 3 percent.